U.S. patent application number 16/721480 was filed with the patent office on 2020-06-25 for noise amplification control in adaptive noise cancelling systems.
The applicant listed for this patent is SYNAPTICS INCORPORATED. Invention is credited to Govind Kannan, Ali Abdollahzadeh Milani, Trausti Thormundsson.
Application Number | 20200202836 16/721480 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 71098698 |
Filed Date | 2020-06-25 |
United States Patent
Application |
20200202836 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Thormundsson; Trausti ; et
al. |
June 25, 2020 |
NOISE AMPLIFICATION CONTROL IN ADAPTIVE NOISE CANCELLING
SYSTEMS
Abstract
Adaptive noise cancellation systems and methods comprise a
reference sensor operable to sense environmental noise and generate
a corresponding reference signal, an error sensor operable to sense
noise in a noise cancellation zone and generate a corresponding
error signal, a noise cancellation filter operable to receive the
reference signal and generate an anti-noise signal to cancel the
environmental noise in the cancellation zone, an adaptation module
operable to receive the reference signal and the error signal and
adaptively adjust the anti-noise signal. The adaptation module
includes a noise amplification control module operable to
adaptively control noise amplification in at least one hiss region
of the anti-noise signal, while achieving cancellation in non-hiss
regions of the anti-noise signal.
Inventors: |
Thormundsson; Trausti;
(Irvine, CA) ; Milani; Ali Abdollahzadeh; (San
Francisco, CA) ; Kannan; Govind; (Irvine,
CA) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
SYNAPTICS INCORPORATED |
San Jose |
CA |
US |
|
|
Family ID: |
71098698 |
Appl. No.: |
16/721480 |
Filed: |
December 19, 2019 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
62782305 |
Dec 19, 2018 |
|
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Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G10K 2210/3026 20130101;
G10K 11/17881 20180101; G10K 2210/3028 20130101; G10K 11/17854
20180101; G10K 2210/3056 20130101; G10K 2210/3027 20130101 |
International
Class: |
G10K 11/178 20060101
G10K011/178 |
Claims
1. An adaptive noise cancellation system comprising: a reference
sensor operable to sense environmental noise and generate a
corresponding reference signal; an error sensor operable to sense
noise in a noise cancellation zone and generate a corresponding
error signal; a noise cancellation filter operable to receive the
reference signal and generate an anti-noise signal to cancel the
environmental noise in the cancellation zone; and an adaptation
module operable to receive the reference signal and the error
signal and adaptively adjust the anti-noise signal; wherein the
adaptation module comprises a noise amplification control module
operable to adaptively control noise amplification in at least one
hiss region of the anti-noise signal, while achieving cancellation
in non-hiss regions of the anti-noise signal.
2. The adaptive noise cancellation system of claim 1, wherein the
hiss region of the anti-noise signal includes frequency bandwidths
in which constructive interference between the environmental noise
and the anti-noise signal is detected.
3. The adaptive noise cancellation system of claim 1, wherein the
noise amplification control module is operable to define a
composite error signal that incorporates a noise-shaping filter and
derives new weight update rules for the noise cancellation
filter.
4. The adaptive noise cancellation system of claim 3, wherein the
noise amplification control module is operable to derive new weight
update rules using a least mean squared algorithm.
5. The adaptive noise cancellation system of claim 3, wherein the
noise-shaping filter is adaptively tuned during operation.
6. The adaptive noise cancellation system of claim 3, wherein the
weight update rules are derived using gradients.
7. The adaptive noise cancellation system of claim 1, wherein the
noise amplification control adapts a cost function to minimize
E{e.sup.2(n)+.gamma.E{e.sub.1.sup.2(n)} where E{.} is the
expectation operator, .gamma. is a constant that controls the
aggressiveness, and e.sub.1(n) is noise-shaped anti-noise signal,
y'(n).
8. The adaptive noise cancellation system of claim 1, further
comprising a transient activity detection module operable to
receive the reference signal, detect a transient noise event and
selectively disable the adaptation module during the detected
transient noise event.
9. The adaptive noise cancellation system of claim 1, wherein the
noise cancellation filter is further operable to generate the
anti-noise signal in accordance with stored filter coefficients;
and wherein the adaptation module is further operable to modify the
stored filter coefficients.
10. The adaptive noise cancellation system of claim 1, further
comprising a loudspeaker operable to receive the anti-noise signal
and generate anti-noise to cancel the noise in a cancellation
zone.
11. A method comprising: receiving a reference signal from a first
sensor, the reference signal representing external noise;
processing the reference signal through a noise cancellation filter
to generate an anti-noise signal; outputting the anti-noise signal
to a loudspeaker; receiving an error signal from an error sensor,
the error signal representing noise in a noise cancellation zone;
and adaptively adjusting the noise cancellation filter in response
to the reference signal, the error signal and a noise amplification
control process; wherein the noise amplification control process
comprises adaptively controlling noise amplification in at least
one hiss region of the anti-noise signal, while achieving
cancellation in non-hiss regions of the anti-noise signal.
12. The method of claim 11, wherein the hiss region of the
anti-noise signal includes frequency bandwidths in which
constructive interference between the environmental noise and the
anti-noise signal is detected.
13. The method of claim 11, wherein the noise amplification control
process further comprises defining a composite error signal that
incorporates a noise-shaping filter and deriving new weight update
rules for the noise cancellation filter.
14. The method of claim 13, wherein the noise amplification control
process further comprises deriving new weight update rules using a
least mean squared algorithm.
15. The method of claim 13, wherein the noise amplification control
process further comprises adaptively tuning the noise-shaping
filter during operation.
16. The method of claim 13, wherein the weight update rules are
derived using gradients.
17. The method of claim 11, wherein the noise amplification control
process further comprises adapting a cost function to minimize
E{e.sup.2(n)+.gamma.E{e.sub.1.sup.2(n)} where E{.} is the
expectation operator, .gamma. is a constant that controls the
aggressiveness, and e.sub.1(n) is noise-shaped anti-noise signal,
y'(n).
18. The method of claim 11, further comprising detecting a
transient noise event and selectively setting a transient noise
detection state to enable and disable, respectively, the adaptively
adjusting the noise cancellation filter.
19. The method of claim 11, further comprising generating the
anti-noise signal in accordance with stored filter coefficients.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims priority to and the benefit of U.S.
Provisional Patent Application No. 62/782,305 filed Dec. 19, 2018
and entitled "NOISE AMPLIFICATION CONTROL IN ADAPTIVE NOISE
CANCELLING SYSTEMS", which is hereby incorporated by reference in
its entirety.
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0002] The present application relates generally to noise
cancelling systems and methods, and more specifically, for example,
to adaptive noise cancelling systems and methods for use in
headphones (e.g., circum-aural, supra-aural and in-ear types),
earbuds, hearing aids, and other personal listening devices.
BACKGROUND
[0003] Adaptive noise cancellation (ANC) systems commonly operate
by sensing noise through a reference microphone and generating a
corresponding anti-noise signal that is approximately equal in
magnitude, but opposite in phase, to the sensed noise. The noise
and anti-noise signal cancel each other acoustically, allowing the
user to hear only a desired audio signal. To achieve this effect, a
low-latency, programmable filter path from the reference microphone
to a loud-speaker that outputs the anti-noise signal may be
implemented. In operation, conventional anti-noise filtering
systems do not completely cancel all noise, leaving residual noise
and/or generating audible artefacts that may be distracting to the
user. There is therefore a continued need for improved adaptive
noise cancellation systems and methods for headphones, earbuds and
other personal listening devices.
SUMMARY
[0004] Systems and methods are disclosed for providing noise
amplification control for adaptive noise cancellation in audio
listening devices. In various embodiments, adaptive noise
cancellation systems and methods provide improved hiss control and
suppression.
[0005] In one or more embodiments, an adaptive noise cancellation
system includes a reference sensor operable to sense environmental
noise and generate a corresponding reference signal, an error
sensor operable to sense noise in a noise cancellation zone and
generate a corresponding error signal, a noise cancellation filter
operable to receive the reference signal and generate an anti-noise
signal to cancel the environmental noise in the cancellation zone,
an adaptation module operable to receive the reference signal and
the error signal and adaptively adjust the anti-noise signal. The
adaptation module includes a noise amplification control module
operable to adaptively control noise amplification in at least one
hiss region of the anti-noise signal, while achieving cancellation
in non-hiss regions of the anti-noise signal.
[0006] The scope of the invention is defined by the claims, which
are incorporated into this section by reference. A more complete
understanding of embodiments of the invention will be afforded to
those skilled in the art, as well as a realization of additional
advantages thereof, by a consideration of the following detailed
description of one or more embodiments. Reference will be made to
the appended sheets of drawings that will first be described
briefly.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0007] Aspects of the disclosure and their advantages can be better
understood with reference to the following drawings and the
detailed description that follows. It should be appreciated that
like reference numerals are used to identify like elements
illustrated in one or more of the figures, wherein showings therein
are for purposes of illustrating embodiments of the present
disclosure and not for purposes of limiting the same. The
components in the drawings are not necessarily to scale, emphasis
instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of
the present disclosure.
[0008] FIG. 1 illustrates an adaptive noise cancellation headset in
accordance with one or more embodiments of the present
disclosure.
[0009] FIG. 2 illustrates an adaptive noise cancellation system in
accordance with one or more embodiments of the present
disclosure.
[0010] FIG. 3 illustrates an adaptive noise cancellation system,
including a noise amplification control subsystem, in accordance
with one or more embodiments of the present disclosure.
[0011] FIGS. 4A-B illustrate an adaptive noise cancellation system,
including an adaptive gain control subsystem, in accordance with
one or more embodiments of the present disclosure.
[0012] FIG. 5 illustrates a transient activity detector for an
adaptive noise cancellation system in accordance with one or more
embodiments of the present disclosure.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0013] In accordance with various embodiments, improved adaptive
noise cancellation (ANC) systems and methods are disclosed. An ANC
system for a headset or other personal listening device may include
a noise sensing reference microphone for sensing environmental
noise, an error microphone for sensing an acoustic mixture of the
noise and anti-noise generated by the ANC device, and a signal
processing sub-system that generates the anti-noise to cancel the
environmental noise. The signal processing sub-system may be
configured to continually adjust the anti-noise signal to achieve
consistent cancellation performance across users, environmental
noise conditions, and device units. In various embodiments, the
adaptation systems and methods disclosed herein improve
cancellation of environmental noise and reduce perceptible
adaptation artefacts.
[0014] The present disclosure addresses numerous challenges
associated with general purpose adaptive noise cancellation
systems, including unwanted noise amplification (e.g., due to
constructive interference between the environmental noise and the
anti-noise signal), noise cancellation performance during transient
noise events, and reduction of audible artefacts produced during
adaptation. The systems and methods disclosed herein provide
robust, practical ANC solutions that generalize well to various
listening devices and form-factors.
[0015] In various embodiments, systems and methods are disclosed to
reduce noise amplification that occurs when there is constructive
interference between noise and anti-noise within a frequency range.
Adaptive methods are disclosed which include defining a composite
error signal that incorporates a noise-shaping filter and deriving
a new weight update rule for controlling the adaptation. The
solutions disclosed herein are adaptive, computationally
inexpensive, and may be implemented as an improvement to
conventional adaptive frameworks.
[0016] In various embodiments, systems and methods disclosed herein
reduce adaptation artefacts that may be perceived by a listener.
For example, low sound pressure level (SPL) artefacts may be
present due to the proximity of the anti-noise source to the
listener's ear drum. It is further recognized that some artefacts
are caused by wideband fluctuations in the magnitude and phase
response of the anti-noise path. Improved adaptive systems and
methods disclosed herein include an adaptive gain element in the
anti-noise signal path to generate a robust error correcting
signal.
[0017] In various embodiments, systems and methods disclosed herein
provide improved robustness to transient noise events. Many
intermittent and unexpected noise events (e.g., head/jaw movement
that moves the microphones relative to the noise, closing a door,
turbulence during air travel, etc.) produce low frequency
transients that can potentially disrupt the adaptation loop,
leaving unwanted residual noise or producing noise artefacts. In
various embodiments, a transient activity detector (TAD) tracks
transient behavior and controls adaptation during transient
activity.
[0018] Example embodiments of adaptive noise cancelling systems of
the present disclosure will now be described with reference to the
figures. Referring to FIG. 1, an adaptive noise cancelling system
100 includes an audio device, such as headphone 110, and audio
processing circuitry, such as digital signal processor (DSP) 120, a
digital to analog converter (DAC) 130, an amplifier 132, a
reference microphone 140, a loudspeaker 150, an error microphone
162, and other components.
[0019] In operation, a listener may hear external noise d(n)
through the housing and components of the headphone 110. To cancel
the noise d(n), the reference microphone 140 senses the external
noise, producing a reference signal x(n) which is fed through an
analog-to-digital converter (ADC) 142 to the DSP 120. The DSP 120
generates an anti-noise signal y(n), which is fed through the DAC
130 and the amplifier 132 to the loudspeaker 150 to generate
anti-noise in a noise cancellation zone 160. The noise d(n) will be
cancelled in the noise cancellation zone 160 when the anti-noise is
equal in magnitude and opposite in phase to the noise d(n) in the
noise cancellation zone 160. The resulting mixture of noise and
anti-noise is captured by the error microphone 162 which generates
an error signal e(n) to measure the effectiveness of the noise
cancellation. The error signal e(n) is fed through ADC 164 to the
DSP 120, which adjusts the magnitude and phase of the anti-noise
signal y(n) to minimize the error signal e(n) within the
cancellation zone 162 (e.g., drive the error signal e(n) to zero).
In some embodiments, the loudspeaker 150 may also generate desired
audio (e.g., music) which is received by the error microphone 162
and removed from the error signal e(n) during processing. It will
be appreciated that the embodiment of FIG. 1 is one example of an
adaptive noise cancellation system and that the systems and methods
disclosed herein may be implemented with other adaptive noise
cancelling implementations that include a reference microphone and
an error microphone.
[0020] FIG. 2 illustrates a robust, configurable adaptive noise
cancelling system 200 that achieves improved noise cancellation
performance, substantially free of audio artefacts. The system 200
senses environmental noise at an external microphone (e.g.,
microphone 140 of FIG. 1) which produces an external noise signal,
x(n). The environmental noise also passes through a noise path
P(z), including the housing and components of the listening device,
where it is received as d(n) at an error microphone (e.g., error
microphone 162). An adaptive filter 202 receives the external noise
signal x(n) and estimates the noise path P(z) to produce an
anti-noise signal y(n) for cancelling the noise signal d(n). The
anti-noise signal y(n) is gain adjusted by adaptive gain control
204 and further modified by system 206 to account for the secondary
path S(z) between the adaptive filter 202 and the error
microphone.
[0021] The system 200 further includes an adaptation block 220,
which includes a noise amplification control (NAC) block 222 and an
adaptive gain control block (ADG) 224. In various embodiments, the
NAC 222 is operable to minimize frequency dependent constructive
interference, and the ADG 224 is operable to minimize wide-band
fluctuations in the anti-noise path. The system 200 further
includes a transient activity detector (TAD) 226, which is operable
to control the system 200 in response to sudden noise fluctuations
and impulsive environmental events. The filters 208, 210, 212,228,
230, 232 provide additional filtering as described further herein
with reference to FIGS. 3-5.
[0022] Referring to FIG. 3, embodiments of a noise amplification
control (NAC) sub-system 300 will now be described. A goal of many
adaptive noise cancellation systems is to estimate the noise at the
ear drum of the listener. This is often accomplished by using the
noise measurements from the reference and error microphones, which
are located a small distance from the ear drum. The estimated noise
is then inverted into an anti-noise signal that destructively
interferes with the actual noise leading to cancellation of the
noise. The anti-noise signal is produced using a filter that adapts
to estimate the amplitude and phase shift for each frequency to
align the anti-noise with the noise. Depending on the latency and
the physical transfer functions at issue, the destructive
interference may be maintained in certain bandwidths, while
constructive interference may be experienced beyond these
bandwidths. This constructive interference may be perceived by the
listener as a narrowband amplification of the ambient noise (e.g.,
a "hiss" sound). Reducing or eliminating the "hiss" sound without
sacrificing the depth and bandwidth of cancellation is a challenge
in many ANC product designs. In conventional, low power embedded
systems (e.g., consumer headphones) reduction of hiss may be
computationally prohibitive and hard to control and tune.
[0023] The NAC sub-system 300 of FIG. 3 provides an approach for
controlling hiss and related sound artefacts that adaptively
controls the noise amplification in hiss regions, while efficiently
achieving cancellation in non-hiss regions. An NAC block 320 is
configured to define a composite error signal that incorporates a
noise-shaping filter C(z) (e.g., noise shaping block 308 and noise
shaping block 310) and derive new weight update rules for the
adaptive filter 302. In some embodiments, a least mean squares
(LMS) framework may be used, including a composite error signal
that incorporates the noise-shaping filter that is used to derive a
new weight update rule.
[0024] In operation, the NAC block 320 updates the adaptive filter
302, W(z), based on the error signal e(n) and a filtered version of
the reference signal, x(n). In the illustrated embodiment, the NAC
block 320 receives a signal x.sub.1(n) from filter 312, S(z), and
signal x.sub.2(n) from filter 308, C(z). The cost function
minimizes the mean square error: Minimize
E{e.sup.2(n)+.gamma.E{e.sub.1.sup.2(n)}. In various embodiments,
the anti-noise signal is filtered using a noise-shaping filter C(z)
(such as noise-shaping filter 308 and noise-shaping filter 310)
which may be configured to enhance signals in the hiss region. In
some embodiments, the hiss region for a particular headset may be
detected, and the noise-shaping filter C(z) may be tuned, in a test
environment prior to distribution. In some embodiments, the hiss
level may be detected during operation and the noise-shaping filter
C(z) may be adaptively tuned during operation. The hiss level may
be determined, for example, by comparing the error signal, e(n), to
the noise signal to determine regions of constructive
interference.
[0025] The cost function is adapted to minimize
E{e.sup.2(n)+.gamma.E{e.sub.1.sup.2(n)} where E{.} is the
expectation operator, .gamma. is a constant that controls the
aggressiveness, and e.sub.1(n) is noise-shaped anti-noise signal,
y'(n). In some embodiments, a weight update rule is derived by the
NAC 320 based on gradient methods. Embodiments of the method can be
applied to filtered least mean squared approaches, adaptive
feedback, adaptive hybrid approaches and other noise cancellation
approaches. In various embodiments, the adaptation is controlled in
a way that minimizes noise amplification by defining a cost
function optimization and deriving an adaptive algorithm that can
achieve it.
[0026] Referring to FIGS. 4A and 4B, embodiments of an adaptive
gain (ADG) subsystem 400 are disclosed. In various embodiments, an
adaptive gain control block 420 continuously updates a gain element
404 to adjust for variations in the various coupling paths. The
inputs to the ADG are conditioned using a programmable filter
B.sub.G(z) (e.g., programmable filter 408 and programmable filter
410), which is designed to protect against low frequency transients
and high frequencies distractors in the environment. In some
embodiments, the filter BG(z) may comprise a low pass filter and/or
a band pass filter that further filters out very low frequencies
(e.g., <20 Hz that cannot be heard out of a loudspeaker).
[0027] It will be appreciated that the physical geometries and
person-to-person fit variations of the headphone can affect noise
cancellation performance. For example, the shape of the outer ear
and length of the ear canal can alter the acoustic transfer
functions of interest in an ANC application. In some embodiments,
an ANC system in a headphone or other personal listening device
(e.g., the system of FIG. 1) uses a noise sensing reference
microphone, an error microphone, and a DSP sub-system that
generates the appropriate anti-noise to cancel the noise field as
measured by the error microphone. This results in a cancellation
zone where the degree of cancellation is maximized at the error
microphone location and degrades inversely proportional to the
wavelength. As a result, the cancellation performance at the
eardrum (which is roughly 25 mm away from the error microphone)
drops significantly for higher frequencies (lower wavelengths)
leading to loss of cancellation bandwidth as perceived by the user
of the noise cancelling system. The embodiments of FIGS. 4A-B
address these and other issues by maximizing the cancellation
bandwidth at the eardrum during the tuning stage and formulating an
adaptive approach that uses the error microphone to adapt to user
specific characteristics during operation.
[0028] For the purposes of this disclosure, let the error
microphone location be termed as ERP (Error Reference Point) and
the ear-drum location be termed as DRP (Drum Reference Point). For
ANC systems tuned at the DRP, the error microphone is a good
indicator of low frequency cancellation at DRP and hence a robust
error correcting signal can be derived from a low-passed version of
the error microphone signal. This correcting signal may then be
used to adapt a gain in the anti-noise signal path.
[0029] To maximize cancellation, an ideal placement of an error
microphone would be at the eardrum, but that location is not
practical for many consumer devices. Thus, the ERP is used to
provide a practical signal that is roughly indicative of the
cancellation performance at the DRP. The adaptive algorithm
attempts to minimize the ERP signal which results in (i) diminished
cancellation at high frequency signals at the DRP, and (ii) higher
possibility of hiss sounding artefacts due to constructive
interference of high frequencies at the DRP. In conventional
approaches, adaptive algorithms are employed that use the transfer
function from ERP to DRP. These approaches have many drawbacks
including that the transfer function estimation is inaccurate at
high frequencies, low estimation accuracy can affect the broad band
cancellation performance and cause transitory hiss levels, high
computational costs, and difficulty to tune and calibrate for all
use conditions making deployment impractical for many devices. The
embodiments of FIGS. 4A-B provide a computationally inexpensive
approach that overcomes many of the drawbacks of conventional
systems, is easy to tune, for example by measuring certain transfer
functions during system design, and is self-calibrating.
[0030] FIG. 4A illustrates a calibration and tuning arrangement for
the adaptive gain subsystem. In this arrangement, the ANC filter
402 is optimized to cancel noise at the DRP during an initial
tuning stage. In one embodiment, the device is placed on a head and
torso simulator which has a second error microphone at the DRP.
P.sub.E2D(z), S.sub.E2D(z) model the ERP to DRP transfer functions
in the denoted acoustic paths. The system can then be optimized
using least mean squares block 422 to perform ANC tuning to derive
an optimum W.sub.DRP(z), based on the error signal, e'(n). Tuning
in this manner helps achieve extended cancellation bandwidth and
better performance in high frequency bands. Second, as illustrated
in FIG. 4B, the adaptive algorithm is set-up to continuously update
a gain element 404, G, that empowers the proposed approach to
adjust for variations in the various coupling paths. In some
embodiments, the signal is low pass filtered and gain adjusted for
good low frequency cancellation. Third, the inputs to the adaptive
algorithms are conditioned using a programmable filter, B.sub.G(z),
which is programmed such that the ERP signal can mimic the
cancellation performance at DRP. Additionally, B.sub.G(z), can be
programmed to optimize performance during low frequency transients
and high frequency distractors in the environment.
[0031] It will be appreciated that the embodiments of FIGS. 4A-B
are example implementations, and that the approaches disclosed
therein can be modified for adaptive versions of feedback,
feedforward and hybrid ANC solutions. In some embodiments, instead
of adapting a gain element, a purposefully constrained filter
element can be adapted. The computed gain can have an additional
non-linear processing to further increase the robustness.
[0032] Referring to FIG. 5, embodiments of a transient activity
detector (TAD) 500 are illustrated. In operation, the TAD 500
detects changes in the sound environment and causes an update
process to be temporarily halted when sudden/intermittent noise
activity is detected. As a result, the unwanted adaptation
artefacts in the anti-noise signal (e.g., artefacts that might
result from rapid adaptation) are minimized. Examples of transient
events might include talking by the headset wearer, honking car
horns, head movements, and other similar sound events. A separate
set of TAD calculations may be performed on the inputs from each
microphone in an ANC system (e.g., a total of 4 microphones in a
headset including left error microphone, left outside microphone,
right error microphone, right outside microphone). Each of the four
microphones may be enabled or disabled independently.
[0033] An embodiment of transient activity detection processing for
a microphone is illustrated in FIG. 5. A detection state machine
514 is used to assert and de-assert the "detect" output. In various
embodiments, the detect output will be asserted when the smoothed
instantaneous magnitude (output A from the LPF 506) is greater than
the scaled average noise magnitude (C in disclosure). After the
smoothed instantaneous magnitude A falls below the scaled average
noise magnitude C, a release delay counter will cause the detect
output to persist for a programmable period of time before being
de-asserted.
[0034] In the illustrated embodiment, audio samples 502 from a
microphone (e.g., reference microphone or error microphone) are
received and fed through an absolute value block 504 followed by a
low pass filter 506 to generate the smoothed instantaneous
magnitude A. In one embodiment, the output A comprises an average
magnitude of the audio samples 502 over a certain period of time
and is representative of an instantaneous noise value. The value A
is provided to a detect state machine 514, and to a low pass filter
508 with saturation which has an output B representing an average
of the A values over a second period of time (i.e., average noise
magnitude). A programmable scale factor defines a threshold for
detecting transients (e.g., 5 times the average noise magnitude)
and is multiplied at component 516 by the average noise magnitude
to produce a second input C to the detect state machine 514.
[0035] In one embodiment, if the smoothed instantaneous noise
magnitude A is greater than the scaled average noise magnitude C,
then the detect state machine 514 is operable to instruct the
adaptation processing (e.g., adaptation block 220 of FIG. 2) to
stop. In various embodiments, the adaptation will freeze until the
instantaneous noise magnitude A is below the scaled average noise
magnitude C. Referring to FIG. 2, when the adaptation is stopped,
filter 202and gain adjust 204 will continue to modify the noise
input x(n) using the most recent weights and gain values. In some
embodiments, a programmable release delay counter is operable to
maintain the detect output for a programmable period of time before
being de-asserted. Further, attack and release component 512 is
operable to control how quickly the low pass filter 508 rises and
falls in response to the instantaneous noise magnitude A. A
programmable attack time constant defines a time it takes for the
average noise magnitude to rise when the instantaneous noise is
greater than the average noise magnitude B. A programmable release
time constant defines a time it takes for the average noise
magnitude B to fall when the instantaneous noise magnitude A is
lower than the average noise magnitude B.
[0036] The foregoing disclosure is not intended to limit the
present disclosure to the precise forms or particular fields of use
disclosed. As such, it is contemplated that various alternate
embodiments and/or modifications to the present disclosure, whether
explicitly described or implied herein, are possible in light of
the disclosure. Having thus described embodiments of the present
disclosure, persons of ordinary skill in the art will recognize
that changes may be made in form and detail without departing from
the scope of the present disclosure. Thus, the present disclosure
is limited only by the claims.
* * * * *